Thread: Advice for re-finishing mid-century veneer chest of drawers

Hi all,

Beginner here - I've picked up in the U.K. this lovely, second-hand chest of veneer drawers by Lebus Furniture and despite quite some damage i really like it and want to re-finish it. I've been doing some research as to the most effective way to do so that doesn't involve a large inventory and came to the conclusion that a method as follows may be the best for me.

1. Sand (possibly start 120 then move to 240), followed by
2. Application of white spirits to clean wood.
3. Then a single application of linseed oil, before wiping off after a few min any residue and finally
4. a few coats of varnish each dried coat followed by a light sand.

I spoke to a friend today who said knowing what the original finish on the furniture is quite important, as whatever i end up applying may react badly with the contents of the original. I was curious if anyone could tell from these photos what it may look like or if this advice is important? I've also heard sanding veneer can be questionable due to how thin it is, and that often paint stripper is recommended instead. I'd be willing to but ideally would like to avoid as I have no backyard where I live.

I quite like the lustre of the original finish on the veneer, so am hoping to have a similar effect once re-finished. Although I haven't done a shed-load of woodworking in the past, I've made quite a lot of plinths for sculptures so feel comfortable with basic sanding, brushwork etc.

Any tips, guidance or stern disapproval greatly appreciated. Cheers!

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